Alex’s Staff Picks

Scroll down to read an archive of Alex’s staff pick write-ups.

Crispin Hellion Glover, The Big Problem ≠ The Solution. The Solution = Let It Be

“Crispin Glover’s album was always a good thing to put on to kill the vibe of a party. Great record.”

Coil, A Guide For Beginners: The Voice Of Silver / A Guide For Finishers: A Hair Of Gold

“Excellent collection for Coil beginners or those who want a nice seamless listening experience to the group’s entire career. Rules. CDs are the best.”

Cartoon, Cartoon

“A new tape from Philadelphia label ‘Human Headstone Presents’ defies popular myth that american prog is dead. Cartoon is here, playing it well. On the hard rock side, verging into FREE zones here & there. I want the pedal to hit the floor, but they keep it loose and laid back most of the time.”

Itasca, Spring

“One of my favorite folk albums of the past 10 years. Laurel Canyon styled folk. Joni Mitchell – breezy afternoon. Heavy southwest vibe. Bitchin Bajas & Gun Outfit crew in the band. Not much better than Kayla Cohen’s ‘Itasca’ for me.”

Kenneth Anger’s Lucifer Rising Soundtrack

“I love Kenneth Anger’s films. Having this tape edition of the soundtrack of Lucifer Rising is a joy for us all. Check out the listing to read Anger’s own words on putting the film together. A huge hero of mine.”

Robert Wyatt, Rock Bottom

“All Robert Wyatt is godly. Rock Bottom is a whimsical while malaised trip through his special demure prog.”

Black Artists Group, In Paris, Aries 1973

“Black Artists Group sole LP was part of my introduction to free jazz alongside the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Lester Bowie’s younger brother setting forth with an amazing crew in France – a very unique band with massive spacial awareness. This isn’t a crowded onslaught but a careful practice of avant garde jazz. Fans of Art Ensemble who aren’t aware – this is mandatory.”

Dalibor Cruz, Elude Jaundiced Eyes

“Beautiful and strange electronics from Dalibor Cruz. Feels like Jorge Reyes scoring a late 90s PC game – very haunting and grungy in the best way possible.”

Las Visiones, Cruces de Neon

“This is a great release from Guadalajara, MX band Las Visiones – punchy shoegaze/indie. Heavy and hard, reminds me a bit of Cloud Nothings & the like. Dope band.”

Merzbow, Merzbeat

“Psychotic level jumbled MERZBEAT!!!! A favorite of mine, tape looped drums with lots of distortion and noise. Majorly chaotic and fun.”

Claire Rousay, A Heavenly Touch

“Claire LP on American Dreams hitting a lot of sweet spots. Ambient/field recordings for the 21st century.”

Bill Orcutt, Odds Against Tomorrow

“Haunted & solemn guitar works from Orcutt. ‘The Conversion Experience’ is my favorite track. Fits in between the best blues & folk records you’ve ever heard. All electric and driven to the perfect degree.”

Toshimaru Nakamura, No Input Mixing Board

“Fans of Pan Sonic’s actual minimalist approach to rhythmic sound take note – Toshimaru Nakamura’s ‘No Input Mixing Board’ LP is an incredible one. Thanks to Blake for reissuing this.”

Swell Maps, Jane From Occupied Europe

“Truly mangled guitar music at its finest.”

Frank Wright, Your Prayer

“Incredible record from Frank Wright. Free & bluesy, but fettering not far from the early 60s. Highly recommend it.”

Jason Molina, Let Me Go, Let Me Go, Let Me Go

“One of my favorite Jason Molina LPs. Comes back around to Jason’s deep and minimal ‘blues’ albums like The Pyramid Electric Co. Bleak, slow and minimalist folk music. If this weren’t on Secretly, a lot of the heads would’ve been all over it. Just dig in.”

Jandek, Staring at the Cellophane

“BLEAK early 80s Jandek. It’s all essential, but why not start here?”

Equipment Pointed Ankh, Changing Legs

“EPA return with a disc of duos. I would say this is a good disc for all Improv Heads, Kraut Rock Dropouts, & Kentucky Fried Psychos. Changing Legs to explore minimalism and technique.”

Fuxter Schittly, “1998-1999 God Particles”

“An excellent example that we have no real grasp on what is going on around us. In a world of fake news and discordianism, we have a relic and instance of chaos. This is a collection of tracks by our friend Fuxter Schittly – captured sound from turntable sculptures.”

Lightning Bolt, Hypermagic Mountain

“A melodic noise rock masterpiece. I had the CD right when it was released and am still as excited listening to it now 17 years later.”

Sluggo, Sluggo

“A crucial collection of USHC from northern KY/Cincinnati, OH. An underrated but amazing band from the region. For the love of hardcore – get it.”

Loren Connors, Airs

“Incredibly palpable for the passive listener, and a great introduction into Connors genius of guitar work.”

Demonologists w/Junko, Nure-Onna

“An incredible in-house release from Torn Light on CD. What you would imagine to be an off-kilter combo, it’s horrifying and fits perfectly in place. Jam at your own risk. True horror music.”

J Dilla, Donuts

“Celebrated as the bones of hip hop music productions reliance on the genius of yesteryears ears for moody perfection. This is collage music brilliance.”

Jackie McLean, New and Old Gospel

“Excellent excellent record from Jackie McLean’s late 60s period. Ornette Coleman on trumpet! My god.”

This Heat, Live 80-81

“I’ve been obsessing over THIS HEAT all week. I wish the entire movement of ‘post punk’ took their cues. Borrowing from Krautrock, Musique Concrete, Dub & Industrial music – everything they created was singularly unique. These live LPs seem to be overlooked to me, but they’re incredible. Check it out!”

Automatic, Excess

“Amazing NEW synth punk? Yes, it exists – and they aren’t dressed like they’re from The Matrix! Even better :)”

Kelly Lee Owens, LP.8

“New Kelly Lee Owens (produced by Lasse Marhaug) is absolutely incredible. Lots of exploration in spacious industrial sounds. Highly recommend picking it up. The CD hasn’t left my truck!”

Caroline No, S/T

“Another imaginative and remarkably individualistic release from Grapefruit Records. ‘Alternative’ singer songwriter music for fans of Rosali, No Quarter Records & 90s indie label jams. Killer shit for real. Sounds live and raw. The electric guitars on here riff so great.”

Kübler-Ross, Kübler-Ross

“Standing high and alone vs dozens of wannabes. Kubler-Ross stay true to a rigid tradition of earth 80s electronic post punk. No romance here, it’s ice cold and mechanical post punk.”

Sheila Heti, Motherhood

“Sheila Heti’s Motherhood is the tension of the [i]choice[/i] of having a child. Wrestling between directions from a mystic, practicing I Ching (John Cage baby) and following her body and mind into the vortex and hell, Motherhood was hard for me to put down. Heti’s strange humor and wit mesmerize me.”

Total Control, Laughing at the System

“The Total Control record that pushed a lot of punks over the edge of remaining fans. This is my favorite zone of TC. The kraut & synth post punk influence reign supreme here. One of the only genuine post-punk bands left in the world. Genius level 12″!”

New Monuments, Language is the Skin

“The birth of NEW FREE JAZZ. A completely unhinged document of New Monuments. Fresh new quartet line-up. This is the next level, and the next step. Completely controlled chaotic mess.”

Aaron Dilloway, Songs About Jason

“Incredible Dilloway. So great.”

Loren Connors, 9th Avenue

“Room next door practice amp blues. Total control and fearlessly personal riffing – TRUE BLUES.”

Kanye West, Donda

“Donda is the nexus of Kanye’s genius and mania. Praising god, remembering his mother and grieving the breakup of his family. It is easy to dismiss and cut down someone in the now, but his albums will be remembered forever and different reasons and music evolves over time and you notice he was there first. ‘Moon’ is one of my favorite tracks in years. Beautiful production all around. So hyped to have these in the shop.”

Jean Ritchie, Music Of

“I love Kentucky.”

Jojo Hiroshige, Triple Echo

“Jojo Hiroshige of Hijokaidan’s great exploration into minimalist feedback structures. Jojo’s guitar playing is lassoing a tone for durations most wouldn’t dare. He is a maniac cowboy on his Triple Echo series. I recommend all discs from the series. Jojo forever. A guitar god that we undeserving of.”

The Velvet Underground & Nico – S/T

“The greatest rock band from the United States. I adore the sound of calamity.”

Greyhound, I Felt the Sun

“heartfelt hazy michigan experimental music. spoken words and beautiful loops”

Vampyric Seasons, History of the Vampire

“Vampyric Industrial Power Electronics. Buzzing synths, burning holes in your ear drums. Faint howls and whispers. Psychedelic PE, morose and evil.”

Flanger Magazine, After The Bend

“Excellent mix of folk, free jazz that will make you dig hard for library records the rest of your life.”

Iron Maiden, Iron Maiden

“Fuck it. Iron Maiden – Iron Maiden. 1999, my homie comes over with ZERO – MISLED YOUTH. First part is Adrian Lopez, and PROWLER comes in. Sick. The soundtrack to that video changed my life forever, and this song in particular reminds me of Lopez ripping. God bless Zero & Toy Machine videos. – (Adrian Lopez’s part in Misled Youth)”

Jon Mueller, The Future is Unlimited Always

“Jon Mueller is a continually inspiring artist to me. Incredible packaging on this pro-CD on Virtues (Alex Kmet) that includes a short story by Jon.”

Spoils, Find Later

“Forlorn slacker indie rock. Reminds me of Snail Mail & the more locked in Jicks/Pavement jams. Great lyrics too. I love this band.”

Stiv Bators, Disconnected

“Stiv forever. ‘I can’t waste my time… make up your mind’”

Sonic Youth, In/Out/In

“Unsurfaced guitar scrapes, mellow jams and the familiar vibe of 2000s Sonic Youth. This rules.:

ADULT., Becoming Undone

“Absolute rager from ADULT. Remnant of Kas-Product & TG at the minimal moments. EBM for “trve” industrial heads. I can’t stop listening to it.”

Altar of Flies, Återblick

“Incredible 3 LP of Mattias Gustafsson’s 2020-2021 sessions. Some of my favorite experimental music of recent years, a triple LP is so fitting. Compiling two earlier tapes on Hasten & Korset with the final piece of the puzzle… ‘Inblick, Överblick, Återblick.'”

Kemetrix, Here and Now

“Fried in the red Detroit electronics: KEMETRIX – Here & Now LP is in the shop. A blend of industrial techno, acid bangers, jilted deep house & fourth world experiments. The range is wide and what you should expect from 100 Limousines. Underground midwest american heat. No coast needed.”

Fruit LoOops, Last Chance at the Pharmacy

“I am ecstatic that FL would allow us to do their new tape. For fans of frantic energy noise rock ala Load Records.”

Brian Jonestown Massacre, Give It Back!

“NOT IF YOU WERE THE LAST DANDY ON EARTH”

Cat Power, You Are Free

“A definitive record for me. I purchased it the day it came out in 2003 on CD and have been listening to it regularly ever since. The first six lines of the song ‘Names’ have stuck with me for almost 20 years. ‘His name was Perry. He had a learning difficulty. His father was a very mean man. His father burned his skin. His father send him to his death. He was ten years old.’”

Wendy Eisenberg, Its Shape Is Your Touch

“A narrative journey of avant garde blues guitar. I am a huge fan of solo guitar music, and this is top tier.”

Monokultur, Ormens Väg

“A top 10 of mine from 2021. Incredible subdued electronic pop music.”

Jandek, Ready for the House

“Originally released under the band name The Units in 1978, Ready for the House is the beginning of Jandek’s confusing and distorted legacy. Excellent avant lo fi blues.”

Guided By Voices, Sunfish Holy Breakfast

“I love Bob Pollard. He’s a regular in the shop and I’ve started to hear more and more influences in his music and he shops in the store. “If We Wait” is peak GBV. It’s incredible to have an OG of this on our site. If it’s too egregious a sticker price for the original, reissues are available through us most of the time!”

Sachi Kobayashi, Imaginary Trip

“Dream like electronic music from Japan. Another huge release from Enmossed x Psychic Liberation. We somehow still have a couple copies! Long sold out from both labels…”

Zero Magazine Volume One (Japanese HC Photo Book)

“Insane document of Japanese 80s punk & hardcore. Unreal spreads of punks & skins and grind freaks. Flyers & photos that will make you blow up your computer and go out into the real world.”

Harmonia & Eno ’76, Tracks and Traces

“A kraut/ambient must have. Abstract library prog to blissful ambient. A perfect ‘not sure what to listen to’ LP. I return to it all the time.”

Ramones, End of the Century

“The Ronettes cover of Baby I Love You is worth its weight in gold.”

Emperor, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk

“I am not a huge Emperor fan, as they are lower on the totem for me in the Norwegian ranks… but Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk & In The Nightside Eclipse are both incredible full lengths [all earlier EPs must also be listened to immediately]. The horns and strings may deter many but I am here for it. Not as pulverizing as Nightside Eclipse, and more into the epic symphonic realm, Anthems is still a must listen.”

Rune Linblad, Death of the Moon and Other Early Works

“Rune Linblad’s ‘Death of the Moon & Other Early Works’ compiles recordings from the 1950s of Lindblad’s experimental works. An excellent addition to anyone collecting the more obscured titles of musique concrete and minimalist noise.“

Xiu Xiu, Fabulous Muscles

“A top five for me in 2004/2005. Revisiting this one doesn’t feel alien to me. It’s a great ‘avant-pop’ record, and shunned for Jamie’s character. Embrace the drama and interesting production choices/recording style.”

Sean McCann, Ten Impression for Piano & Strings

“I am a huge Sean McCann/Recital fan. I use a lot of his free will as inspiration in my creative endeavors and here at the shop running our labels. One of the greatest composers living today. I highly recommend this one and all Sean McCann you come across.”

taupe set xl, shadow of venus

“There is always a teetering feeling I have with ambient music. I’m on the verge of standing in place as the piece moves past me, or I am dragged in to be swathed by sound. Taupe Set XL ‘Shadow of Venus’ is a beautiful listen with intent, and it’s the latter. I would recommend it for fans of the Kranky catalog and earlier Noir Age ambient releases.”

RRR-1000

“A feat in itself, RRR-1000 is a legendary must own release for anyone interested in the lineage of noise. 20 artists, each providing 50 1.8 second locked groove loops. A bizarre idea that is overwhelming and nearly impossible without deep respect. Good luck.”

JD Swift CD

“A mysterious release from PL from ‘JD Swift’ elusive hissed out industrial techno & ambient.”

Alex Cunningham, As Slow As the Stream

“Incredible solo violin full length from Alex Cunningham. 30+ minutes for fans of Leroy Jenkins or Henry Flynt. Released on my CD label ARKEEN.”

Equipment Pointed Ankh, Without Human Permission

“One of my favorite bands making music in the world today. All star cast of Kentucky HEADS – members of Flanger Magazine (Torn Light), Tropical Trash (LOAD) & Shutaro Noguchi (Feeding Tube) – EPA make party records for aliens.”

Neutral, Live pa Autodidaktik

“Neutral live tape – now reissued on wax via Happiest Place. Disturbing “true industrial” sound. No flexing – akin to throbbing gristle or buried early 80s tape culture hits. Incredible record.”

Amirtha Kidambi & Lea Bertucci, Phase Eclipse

“Drone & avant garde sax killer Lea Bertucci duo with Amirtha Kidambi, front woman of Elder Ones & vocalist of Mary Halvorson’s Code Girl. Incredible swirling avant garde madness from two of the greatest minds in experimental & underground music.”

Possessor

“Dehumanization via high tech assassination & the perpetual struggle of work/life balance.”

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  October 8, 2021  |  Staff Picks